COVENTRY people want an elected mayor rather than a city council leader with cabinet, according to the latest poll.

More than 40,000 people replied to the council's postal survey on how they would like to see the city governed.

The vote came out 2-1 in favour of a mayor directly elected by the people instead of a council leader chosen by councillors.

The outcome means the city council will find it difficult to avoid having a binding city-wide referendum on the issue in the near future.

The exact results have not yet been made public but are understood to be split one-third each way between the current system of leader and cabinet, a mayor with a council manager and a mayor with a cabinet of leading councillors.

On Monday city council leader Cllr Nick Nolan (Lab, Holbrook) was tight-lipped, saying results were still being analysed.

"We'll be analysing them until the first week in November because we also have to get in opinions from the citizens' panel and from staff as well.

"We'll be putting the whole lot in and factor them all together."

Conservative opposition leader Cllr Tim Sawdon (Wainbody) said: "I think the outcome is there must be now a referendum and I for one will vigorously campaign against the concept of an elected mayor."